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What is llama.cpp? Facts, license and pricing (Oct 2026)

llama.cpp is lLM inference in C/C++: the open-source engine many local-model tools build on; MIT-licensed with near-daily build tags. License: MIT. Its GitHub repository (ggml-org/llama.cpp) had 132,360 stars on Oct 25, 2026. Facts were read from official pages on Oct 25, 2026 and are Reported, not Tested.

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Evidence: Reported. Everything here was read from llama.cpp's own pages and the public GitHub API on 2026-10-25 (America/Chicago). We have not run llama.cpp for this page, so it says nothing about quality or speed.

What llama.cpp is

The llama.cpp repository describes LLM inference in C/C++ and is MIT-licensed. Its releases are build tags, with b11889 published Oct 25, 2026.

We list llama.cpp under Local LLMs and model platforms.

llama.cpp key facts

llama.cpp facts (vendor pages and GitHub, 2026-10-25)
Featurellama.cpp
Vendorggml-org (open-source project)
LicenseMIT
PlatformsCross-platform source and binaries
Pricing modelFree and open source
Free tierFree
GitHubggml-org/llama.cpp: 132,360 stars, last push Oct 26, 2026 (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026)
Latest release we sawb11889 on Oct 25, 2026
EvidenceReported from vendor pages

Who llama.cpp is for

  • Good for: Developers embedding local inference.
  • Good for: People who want maximum control over local models.
  • Skip if: You want a polished app with a GUI.

How to start with llama.cpp

  1. Clone the repository or download a release build and follow the README's quick start.

llama.cpp alternatives

  • Ollama: The common way to run open models locally on macOS, Windows and Linux, with a cloud option and an MIT-licensed open-source core.
  • LM Studio: Desktop app for running open models locally; the homepage now leads with Bionic, an agent for work and code.
  • Jan: Open-source alternative to ChatGPT that runs open models locally or connects to cloud models like GPT and Claude.

What we did not verify

  • Performance on your hardware.
  • Output quality, speed and reliability of llama.cpp: we have not run it for this page.

FAQ

What is llama.cpp?

The llama.cpp repository describes LLM inference in C/C++ and is MIT-licensed. Its releases are build tags, with b11889 published Oct 25, 2026.

What license is llama.cpp under?

MIT. Read from the project's own pages on Oct 25, 2026.

Is llama.cpp free?

Free. Checked Oct 25, 2026; prices change, so confirm on the vendor's page.

Sources

Page history

  • : First published from official pages read on 2026-10-25.

Markdown version for agents: /what-is/llama-cpp.md